Broccoli, or The Thin Line Between Friendship and More (ON HOLD)
by Mina Lisly
Summary: Jace and Clary have been best friends ever since they met. It never occurred to them to think of the other any other way. Until the day when that thin line between friendship and more breaks for one of them. What will happen? Will they be able to pass this? {OOC/AH/AU} Humour/Friendship/Romance/Drama
1. 1 - The Chocofrogs

**My dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4,**

 **So, something terrible happened today, Fanfiction deleted ALL my stories! I want to cry, and die; but all I can do is ask: WHY?!**

 **Anyway, it's okay, there are more aggravating things happening in the world. So let's just take a deep breath, and go back to the beginning. I'll try uploading back all my stories (that I thankfully all kept on my tablet) and go back from the beginning, as if nothing ever happened. Let's pretend, it's the first time you're reading those stories. ㈴1㈴1**

 **So, this story is a little something I came up with as I was talking to my sister about the power of broccoli. I know, this is weird, but you know me. All of my stories (stories, not oneshots) have a end game, something to prove in the end of the story, and this one is no different. So, let's read this one, and see what it is all about.**

 **Like most of my stories, this story will be completely OOC, with drama, and fluff, and humour, and cliffhangers (because cliffies are my babies ㈶1). If you are a fan of my other stories (you know, the ones that have been deleted), I can promise you that this one won't go very dark, it's just something kind of light with just enough angst to keep it interesting.**

 **Anyway, enough chitchat, let's enjoy this first chapter, all over again .**

 **.**

 ** _Chapter 1 ~ The Chocofrogs (1,8K)_**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV.**

 **.**

God, I hate grown ups and their stupid ideas that moving is a good thing and all. It is not. Everything sucks about moving. I'll have to change school and friends. I'll be the newbie. I'll have to get used to the neighbourhood. I'll even have to get used to the new grocery shop.

Grocery shop where my dad dragged me so I can 'help him'. But of course, I lost him as soon as I could. Because who likes to shop with their parents? Not me. So now I'm wandering in the candy section, shocked to see it so empty. But then again, dad woke us up at dawn so we wouldn't meet too many people. I keep on going back and forth in the alley, wondering which candy I'll guilt dad into buying, when I set my eyes on the prize. _Chocofrogs_. The ones like in Harry Potter, minus the magic. And it's the last one.

I reach out for the wonder that is Chocofrogs, when a small hand is faster than me and snaps the package away from me. I turn my head to see the culprit, and find myself facing a little girl with crazy red hair. She has humongous green eyes staring at me with obfuscation as I still have my hand reaching for where used to be the Chocofrogs.

I've actually already seen this girl. She's my neighbour. I've seen her play in her garden several times, from my window. She's always alone as if she doesn't have friends, and so I can relate a little to her. When school will start, I too won't have many friends.

She stares at me for two more seconds before she whispers with suspicion: "I won't let you have it. You should have been quicker."

I narrow my eyes at her, recalling why I actually looked at her in the first place; and then I victoriously smile as I snap the desired chocolate out of her innocent little hands. She's the one who said I should be quicker. Her huge eyes look at me with shock, before she angrily threatens: "You better give that back!"

Her threat is quite ridiculous. I mean, she's so small that even the wind could make her fall. I smirk at her, too happy to finally have my Chocofrogs, and I retort: "You should have been quicker."

Her eyes widen with frustration before I am hit by something green. She threw a _broccoli_ at my face! Who does that? Crazy redheads. And of course, I was so not expecting this attack of vegetable that I dropped the Chocofrogs. It's there, laying on the floor, at my feet, but she doesn't do a single thing to pick up, though her eyes are locked on it.

"Did you find your chocolate, Clary?" A man asks, appearing in the deserted alley of the candy section, and as his eyes land on me, he seems surprised before he smiles and adds with glee: "You made a friend?"

The girl, Clary, looks one last time at the Chocofrogs and then she turns her back on me and hurries to the man, saying that they need broccoli again. The man asks about her chocolate, but she shakes her head claiming that she doesn't want them anymore. The man glances at me with curiosity, his eyes lingering on the Chocofrogs on the floor, and on the broccoli next to it.

And then, they leave, and I kind of feel guilty to have snapped the chocolate out of her hands. I hesitate a little before picking up the candy and searching for my father. As I do so, I do my best to try and find Clary again, so I can give her back the chocolate, but I can't as the shop is getting busier.

 **.**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **.**

Once we're home, dad tells me that I have to keep unpacking, which annoys me to the most. I spent my past week at unpacking. Again and again. It is quite annoying now. But it's all we do. _Unpack, unpack, unpack_. As if we're mindless robots.

I still have the Chocofrogs in my pocket, which dad pointed out with shock. Chocofrogs usually don't make it to the car. But I'm saving it as a peace offering. All I hope is to not get hit by broccoli again. Because it kind of hurt.

So after unpacking a zillion of boxes, I ask dad if I can go see the neighbours, because I know they have a kid and I want to play. So of course, dad lets me go, though I know he's checking on me through the kitchen window.

I knock at the door, hoping that she'll be the one opening it, but it's the man. I think he's her father. I don't know. It'd be weird if he wasn't. The man seems surprise by my presence, and so I tell him:

"I came to see Clary and ask her to play with me."

I'm doing my best to be polite, because I know dad won't be happy if he hears that I've been rude. Let's hope he doesn't hear that I stole a chocolate out of a little girl's hands. I'll be grounded for _forever_!

The man narrows his eyes at me with suspicion, as if what I just said is unbelievable, and he signals me to step in the house. I wave in the direction of my house so I can reassure dad who's obviously spying on me through the window. As I enter the house, the man asks me:

"And you are?"

"Jace, sir," I answer, and just at this moment, Clary storms in the living room before freezing on the spot at my sight. Then she yelps and rushes out of here, as if I am the scariest duck of the planet.

Her father sighs a little before turning his head to me, and telling me: "I think you'll have to postpone your play date. Clary tends to have problems with people."

"Can I at least give her that?" I ask, showing the Chocofrogs, and her father gently smiles as he sees the candy. He mumbles something under his breath before leading me upstairs. There he knocks on a door, creeping it open as he says the name of his daughter with gentleness and love. But Clary seems to not hear it:

"No, no! I won't play with him! He's a jerk and a thief. You lied when you said that people could be nice! _He stole the Chocofrogs out of my hands!_ " She accuses, as if it's the worst crime in the world. Well, maybe it is. After throwing broccoli in people faces.

Her father glances at me and the proof of what she's saying in my hand, before he opens a little more the door, revealing me to Clary. She gasps of indignation, and glares at her father before hiding herself under the covers. I really must be one ugly duck.

"I came to give you back the Chocofrogs. I'm sorry for earlier," I tell her, pleading my case before she starts holding the grudge forever against me. I don't want my first possible friend to hate me and spread her word of justice at school.

Clary shyly peeps her head out of the covers, and glances at the Chocofrogs in my hand. I can see in her eyes that she still wants them. I get it, those chocolates are killers! So I take a step in her room, registering that her father left us alone. Clary sits up on her bed, and when I give her the Chocofrogs, she looks like I just gave her a Christmas present.

"I shouldn't have taken it from your hands," I repeat, and she sheepishly smiles, telling me:

"I shouldn't have thrown a broccoli at your face."

I smile back and sit in front of her as she opens the chocolate, and then she breaks it in half and gives me a part: "Wanna share?"

I accept, too happy to have a part of the Chocofrogs after all. We eat in silence before I ask her: "Wanna watch a movie at my place? I'll make dad cook us his killer lasagna."

"We can stay here and ask my dad to order pizza?" She proposes, and I gladly accept because _pizza_. Dad only cooks healthy food, so of course, I won't refuse pizza.

When we go downstairs, our mouths full of the remaining Chocofrogs, her father raises a surprised eyebrow at us before he smiles and accepts without arguing his daughter's demand for pizza. And so this is how I make my first friend in this new town. In front of the Harry Potter saga, eating pizza and bickering about who knows the books the best.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **So? What did you think?**

 **~ I personally think that this Jace is cute. I like little Jace. What about you?**

 **~ And for those interested, I will start a Pinterest board on this story as well. I'm just looking for the right pictures. They shall come soon, I'll let you know.**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	2. 2 - School & Video Games

**My dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4,**

 **So, just as a reminder, this chapter and the last Clary and Jace were still young children. They have a eighteen month gap difference. Jace is nine, and Clary a little bit older than seven.**

 **Also, if anyone is interested in being a beta for this story, I am all ears.**

 **.**

 ** _Chapter 2 ~ School & Video Games (1,4K)_**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV.**

 **.**

Never before have I been so happy to go to school. _Finally_ , it's the end of the summer vacations, and I'll finally be able to make some friends. I mean, I already have Clary, but it'd be cool to have more friends. Then, we'll be able to go to the park, all of us, and all. That'd be really cool. I can't wait to go to the park with Clary and chase her with a stick, throwing Harry Potter curses at her. She's already very suspicious of me being a wizard, and is persuaded that I'll receive a letter from Hogwards when I'll be eleven. Just because I did her the trick of the coin with her ear. She's so cute, sometimes.

I wanted us to go together to school, but she said that she was sick. She didn't even want me to come and see her. Which is quite annoying. I mean, we did spent the past two weeks together, 24/7. And suddenly she's too sick to see me. I think she's just chickening out because of school. Maybe she doesn't like school. I think that's it.

Dad is driving me to school, and I can't help but wish that Clary were here too. Just so he would talk to her instead of me. He talks too much sometimes. All those stupid stuffs about being nice to other kids, and behaving in class and stuffs. Like I'd go Avada Kedavra on other people. Really. I'm not Tom Riddle!

"Will you let me ride with Clary and Luke tomorrow?" I suddenly cut Dad, because I can't listen to all that nice warning about school and teachers. I'm not a monster, and I'm not an idiot. I know how to behave. Especially in a new school! I don't want to be known as the bully.

Dad looks away from the road to look at me funny, and suddenly, I do feel a little bit stupid. Adults have this magic power to make you feel stupid just by looking at you. He slightly frowns his brows, and then he says:

"Clary won't go to school tomorrow. She's homeschooling."

" _What_? Why?" I ask, really upset that she never told me. I mean, I've been ranting about school for the past week, and she never said anything about not going to school. But it's true that she never seemed eager to talk about school, either. She actually seemed a little bit sad when I talked about school, but I figured that it was because she didn't have many friends.

Dad slightly heaves, looking back at the front window; and then, he tells me: "She is sick. And her sickness makes her homeschool."

"But she was just fine two days ago," I insist. No fair that she gets to skip school because she's good at pretending to be sick. I mean, I want to go to school, but there had been sometimes when I didn't, and Dad always managed to see when I was faking an illness.

Dad shakes a little his head and parks in the school parking before he unbuckles up and looks at me. I'm on the front seat, even though I'm not ten yet, because I'm tall. I used to always remind that to my friends back in our old town, because it's so cool to be on the front seat, it makes you look like a grownup.

"Clary is sick in a way you can't see. She … She's not comfortable around people. It's hard for her to be around too many people all at once. That's why Luke and her always do their groceries early in the morning, that's why _you_ always go over, that's why she won't go to school."

For a moment, I don't know what to say. It's weird to be afraid of people. Really, I'm not going to eat her. "But _I'm_ a people, and she plays with me." I retort, because just two days ago, she attacked me with a broccoli when I refused to admit that Sirius Black was the best character ever in Harry Potter.

Dad gently smiles with that annoying smile that adults have when they think they know so much more than you. "Well, you were nice to her. And Luke pushes her so she can have friends. He doesn't want her to stay all her life in that house."

 **.**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **.**

When I come back from school, dad insists on checking all my homework before he makes do some reading because he doesn't like the program given by the school. I don't really argue, I like reading. Even if the books are boring about who loves who more. Romeo is stupid, and Juliet even more. I just wish dad would have give me something else to read. I heard Macbeth is about killing people and stuffs, but dad says I'm too young. I might be 'frightened'. I'll just have to sneak in his library when he's not looking, and I'll read the damn thing!

I'm quite happy with the day I had. I met nice people, though they weren't as funny as Clary. For starters. That boy Alec, he doesn't like Harry Potter! Clary would slap him with a broccoli if she knew. And that boy Magnus, he talks way too much. Seb is alright, though. And he likes Pokemon too. We already started trading cards, and we'll try to get a play date to play video games. Because Zelda is life, and he knows it.

But now, I'm looking at Clary's house, and I'm hesitating on going. Do people who fear other people want to hear about those people? And that's when I decide that I won't let her like that. She needs to meet people. She needs to slap Alec, and play Zelda with Seb, and talk with Magnus. She doesn't have a choice.

So I go to her house, where I find her on the couch her eyes sparkling as she's hugging a paper to her heart.

"What's that?" I ask her, my crusade completely forgotten.

"My future husband. He's so perfect! I'm in love!" She swoons, and I see on the floor _Skyward Swords_! She played the new Zelda before me! How unfair! I rush to the TV and take the remote, and so she maliciously tells me: "I can tell you how the game ends. Ghirahim …"

"Shhhhh!" I order, and she giggles before kissing my cheek and letting me play. I start the game, playing Link as he goes through the Surface, and suddenly I recall what dad told me in the morning. And I know just how to make her meet people.

"I'll have a play date this weekend. We'll play video games and eat pop corn. You _have_ to come!"

I can tell that she's hesitating, until she says: "If I'm not sick anymore."

And her little voice breaks all my plans to make her meet people. So I just let her be, and played under her mocking remarks on my game, and her swooning over the Demon Lord Ghirahim until Dad comes pick me up because I have school tomorrow.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **~ I think my favourite part here, is Jace bragging about being able to go on the front seat, and Clary fangirling over her video game.**

 **~ So, just to make it clear, Clary doesn't suffer from agoraphobia, but she is close. Crowded places makes her uneasy to the point that she has problems breathing. This is the first step of agoraphobia, but she will never really reach it. Just keep in mind throughout the story that she isn't much into crowded places, even if she'll work on that as she'll grow up.**

 **~ And know that the next chapter will have a slight jump in time, and that we will find Jace and Clary in their teenage years.**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	3. 3 - The Kiss

**My dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4,**

 ** **~ So this is a little personal message to the people who already read those oneshots, and who are still reading it all over again. Thank you. THANK YOU for bearing with me, for hitting those little 'follow' and 'favourite' buttons. I know it seems like nothing to you, but it means a lot to me. And also thank you for those who took the time to review all over again (or for the first time). It's always encouraging to see that people appreciate your work.****

 **~ So, just as a reminder, in this chapter and the next Clary and Jace are teenagers. They have a eighteen month gap difference. Jace is almost eighteen, and Clary is sixteen.**

 **~ Also, if anyone is interested in being a beta for this story, I am all ears.**

 **.**

 ** _ ** _Chapter 3_** **~ The Kiss (2,5K)**_**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV.**

 **.**

I look down on my laps where there is Clary's head. She's sleeping safe and sound, and I roll my eyes to the sky. This girl has a serious problem of concentrating on a movie without falling asleep. I'm sure that there is not one movie that she watched in one take. Except for the Harry Potter series. I mean, it took her five views to watch The Lord of The Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring. And I'm not even talking about the long version of it. But it's okay. It's what makes Clary, Clary.

Yesterday was the celebration of our nine years of friendship. And this is one cool thing about Clary, it's easy to have her as a best friend. Okay, she still has this anxiety thing around people, but she's working on it. Really. I don't think it can be called agoraphobia, because she just has strong panic attacks around large crowds. I mean, she goes to school now. And to the movies, sometimes. And we also go shopping together. It's all a question of timing, and making sure there are not too many people around her.

So anyway, now we're just best friends and it's cool. And it's not that weird kind of boy/girl relationships where there's sexual tension between us. It's just us being plain friends. And tonight was special because -in addition of being our friendship anniversary- she just came back from a month abroad with Luke, her father, to see her family on her late mother's side (which all the way to freaking Ireland). But I'm used to it, because she goes every year. I even went with her three years ago, and she came with me to my mom's. But otherwise, we always manage my going to my mom's for the summer Holliday to coincide with her going to Ireland.

With a little heave, I take the ridiculous small thing she is in my arms so I can put her to bed. It's very usual that she sleeps at my place, or that I sleep at hers. As I take her off the couch, in my arms, she automatically wraps her legs around my waist, panda style. I softly chuckle, walking us upstairs when I feel something that I never felt on Clary's body. _Boobs_. Like _real_ boobs poking against my chest. And this is so abnormal! Clary doesn't have boobs. She's a ridiculously tiny A. Something barely visible. And now, I can feel full grown boobs against me as I carry her to bed!? What happened to the world?

I did noticed that she was wearing a very big sweater when she came to see me, but I figured that she was just cold. I mean, this would be normal. Clary is always cold anyway, even when it's 30°C outside. So I didn't question it. What's not normal, it's Clary having humongous boobs that I can feel when she's not even holding me tight against her. What happened to the world?

Still shocked by this discovery, I put her in my bed (even though she has a bed, since dad always have a room ready for her), and I lay next to her. I can't believe that Clary has boobs. I'm so going to tease her about it, tomorrow morning!

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

I wake up to the sound of Clary's grumpy and sleepy voice, as she complains: "Jace, get off of me!"

I grumble, untangling myself from her, not slightly aware of how we ended up in this position; and I rub my eyes to wipe away the sleep. Clary sits next to me, yawning and stretching like the little kitten that she is, and making her chest pop as she strains her arms up. And of course, I look at _them_. I'm just a guy, I'm bound to look at boobs. It's in my DNA. She catches my stare, and scowls at me, covering herself with her arms as she points out:

"You know, the common courtesy is to not stare. Like I am not staring at your useless morning boner."

"You should, it's magnificent," I retort, and she makes a face at me. I have to admit, puberty did that weird thing to me, it turned me into a jerk. Not a a-hole, but still a jerk. Like I always have to have the last word, and prove that I'm the best. But Clary doesn't put up with it, no matter how jerky I can be sometimes. And it's good. She keeps me down to Earth, and makes sure that my head doesn't inflate too much. She's like my Gemini Cricket.

"So? What's up with the twins?" I ask, glancing once again over her chest, and Clary lets herself fall back on the bed, throwing the cover over her body to hide her boobs.

"I don't know. I just know that I hate them. They're uncomfortable and always get in the way. I can't sleep on my stomach anymore. I can't run without them jiggling all over the place. And everyone keeps on staring at them. I hate them so much!"

"Well, it's probably because of the over consumption of broccoli that they grew so fast," I say with the wisest tone, and she glares at me before grabbing my pillow to hit me with it.

"It's not funny, Jace!"

"Yes, it is. Anyway, just be happy you have boobs. Why are girls never happy with what they have?" I ask, getting up the bed.

The thing is, I might be a jerk, but I know when I need to stop. And I know that if I tease Clary more about it, she'll get really mad at me. This is something that obviously upsets her a lot.

Clary grumbles something under her breath that I qualify as my cue that the conversation is over. So I jump on another topic: "I convinced dad to leave me the house for tonight, so I'm throwing a party. Just a few people. Kaelie, Seb, Mags, Alec and Izzy. You in?"

"Depends. Is Kaelie going to try and doll me up?"

I snicker at that because Clary hates makeover, and Kaelie loves them. Especially on Clary since Kaelie says that she has perfect hair and skin. Kaelie is my girlfriend. We've been together for over a year (first time, and all for the both of us). She's nice. And she's cool with me having a girl best friend with whom I sleep with occasionally. Because she knows that everything is platonic. She's smart. And Clary loves her (except when there's makeover involved).

"I'll tell her to back off," I promise, and so Clary nods, getting up as well.

"Okay. I'll see you tonight, then. I have to unpack my suitcase before dad starts going through my stuff under the pretext that's it's been here for 'weeks'."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The party started three hours ago, and I'm already getting tired of it. Well, to be honest, I just want it to end so Kaelie and I can go to my bedroom. I mean, I haven't seen her in weeks. Three to be exact. It's a very long time. Okay, we did it when she arrived early before the party. But that was a quickie in dad's study (if he ever finds out, I'm a dead man), and I know that Kaelie likes it better when we're more intimate. And to be honest, me too.

"Is it me, or Clary grew at least two cups in Ireland?" Kaelie asks me, her head on my laps as she's watching Clary talking with Seb, far from us. She's wearing another over large sweater to hide herself, but apparently Kaelie as good eyes. Because you have to pay real good attention to notice it.

"Actually, she's probably a D, now. So that would be three cups. But she's not very fond of them," I let Kaelie know, and she looks at me as if I'm retarded.

"Of course, she's not! Boobs are annoying! Try to wear a bra for one day with parts of your body you have no control over and that hurt your back as well as your ego every time a guy stares only at them."

"Whatever," I say, not ready to start a feminist conversation with Kaelie. She can be very passionate about it, and I want to get laid tonight.

"Anyway," She says, her eyes narrowing at me before going back to Clary. "I think Clary is not going to start this school year as a single person."

" _What_?!" I ask, mis swallowing the drink I was having, and looking with attention at Clary. Kaelie shrugs and explains:

"Come on, Jace. Seb's been on Clary for quite some times, now. They're obviously going to kiss before the end of the night."

Kaelie is right. There is something different about Clary's attitude. It looks like … she's _flirting_ with Seb. The way she looks at him, her head slightly tilted on the side, the smile spread across her face, the way she's closer to him that she usually is. Oh god! "I think I'm going to puke."

Kaelie looks back at me, rolling her eyes. "Why? Because she wants to have a sexual life?"

"Yes! Clary is not supposed to have a sexual life! She's supposed to play video games and eat broccoli!"

"Sorry to break it to you, but she's human, with needs that she's happily fulfilling with Seb," Kaelie wisely states, pointing her eyes back at the unlikely couple, and _horror_. _They're kissing_. Yeah, I'm definitely going to puke.

Seb has one of his hands cupping her face as their lips are connected. It's a chaste kiss, nothing outrageous, but still. Clary isn't suppose to kiss or be kissed. This is so freaking weird. Urgh, now I really want the party to be over. Kaelie must have caught my sudden mood change, because she sits up to place herself on my laps before whispering to me: "You can't chastise Clary forever, Jace. Or this is going to damage your relationship with her."

"I don't chastise her. I just … don't like seeing her …" I struggle on my words, knowing deep inside that Kaelie is right. I have Clary in my mind as some kind of Saint of broccoli, and this is probably why I find it so weird that she's kissing someone right now. "God, I hate it when you're right," I admit in defeat, and Kaelie beams at me.

"I'm a girl, I'm always right."

I heave, but I'm stop from any complaints I could have made by her kissing my lips in a passionate kiss. God, I love when she kisses me like that. She's always such a turn on. "What do you say, you end this party now, so we can have our own private party in your room," She luxuriously suggests in my ear, and I for one am more than willing to do so.

As I'm telling everyone to leave under the false pretext that my dad is coming home earlier, Kaelie goes upstairs, not without winking at me. Yup, that's a good sleepless night that's ahead of me.

The last person to leave, is obviously Clary who always made a point of not sleeping at my place when Kaelie was over. I understand. And I'm glad for it. Because I'm planning on making Kaelie scream a lot tonight. _A lot_.

Clary is at the doorframe, and as she's about to go to her house, I stop her by saying: "So? You and Sebastian?"

Clary shrugs, as if nothing before she tells me something that she didn't tell me before: "To be honest, he asked me out at the end of school year. But since I knew I was going away for a month, I told him to wait until I came back. And … well, I don't have to explain the rest to you."

How did I not notice Seb being interested in Clary. Really? _How_? I spend most of my time with her, and the rest with my friends, and Seb is one of them. I don't get it. Really don't get how I managed to be that oblivious. And why didn't Clary tell me about Seb asking her out? It's something big, and she didn't tell! I'm feeling kind of betrayed here.

"You okay, Jace?" She worriedly asks me, and I scoff:

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. I just … it's the first time someone asked me out, and I kind of wanted that memory all to myself."

"What? I'm going to stain your lovely memories of Seb?" I say, obfuscated; and Clary shakes her head.

"Of course not, Jace. Don't be ridiculous, you're my best friend. But sometimes, you like to keep stuffs for yourself. Like you didn't tell me about your first kiss with Izzy," She explains, and I look at her, shocked that she knows about that. As far as she's supposed to know, Kaelie is my first kiss. So how in the world did she find out about Izzy and I? It's not that I lied to Clary, it's just that I never told her. Kind of like what she just did. _God_ , I hate when girls are right! It makes me feel like a stupid idiot.

"Anyway, I'm tired, and Kaelie is waiting for you," She says, tiptoeing to kiss my cheek, and I grab her arm before she can leave my personal space. For a long minute, we stare at one another, our faces inches from one another, before I bring my hand up and place a wild lock of her hair behind her ear. Clary's green eyes never leave mine, and so I softly murmur, my throat abnormally tight:

"I didn't mean to lie to you."

"And neither did I. Like I said, sometimes, there are stuff you'd rather keep for yourself," She assures me with a smile. Then, she kisses once again my cheek and walks to her house, as I go upstairs to my room where I find Kaelie on my bed, and all my worries fly out of the window.

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 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **~ I would love to know your thoughts on the characters of Kaelie and Sebastian. They will be sort of recurrent in this story, and I am curious about seeing your reactions change or not concerning them.**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	4. 4 - The Talk

**My dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4,**

 **~ So this is a little personal message to the people who already read those oneshots, and who are still reading it all over again. Thank you. THANK YOU for bearing with me, for hitting those little 'follow' and 'favourite' buttons. I know it seems like nothing to you, but it means a lot to me. And also thank you for those who took the time to review all over again (or for the first time). It's always encouraging to see that people appreciate your work.**

 **~ So, just as a reminder, in this chapter and the last, Clary and Jace are teenagers. They have a eighteen months gap difference. Jace is almost eighteen, and Clary is sixteen.**

 **~ Also, if anyone is interested in being a beta for this story, I am all ears. ㈏4㈏4㈏4**

 **.**

 **Chapter 4 ~ The Talk (1,3K)**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV.**

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I walk inside Clary's house, as if it is my own home, because it's something completely natural. For as long as we've known each other, it's been like that. We even have each a spare key of the other's house. Dad and Luke even always keep a spare plate for us, just in case, which I think is pretty cool.

Since I can't find Clary nowhere downstairs, I go to her room upstairs; but I stop before entering since I hear her talking to someone. I don't actually mean to spy on her, but I stopped myself from entering in her room because I heard her say:

"I don't know where the hype comes from. It's not that good,"

Apparently, she's on the phone because I can hear Kaelie's voice, and I know that Kaelie is at her place since she has family visiting today. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here and would have had Kaelie over so we could 'Netflix and chill', if you get my drift.

"It was your first time. Of course it wasn't _that_ good. Just wait a little, and after a couple of times, you'll love it," Kaelie's voice echoes, and I understand what they're talking about. Clary and Seb finally did it, after six months of lovey dovey love.

It's weird how I never pictured Seb to be such a … romantic. Watching him with Clary is like watching a chick movie, but without the drama. I thought it would be weird, and at first it was, I mean, it's Clary we're talking about; but finally, it got normal. And Clary's very happy with this situation. Especially since her dad _adores_ Seb. I mean, Luke even invited the guy at our traditional weekend in the countryside during Halloween. And from what Clary's been telling me, he's even sweeter when they're alone. So I guess, it's all good. As long as they keep the kissing at a PG 8 level, it's okay. I mean, I never made out with Kaelie in front of Clary, so I'm glad she has the same courtesy toward me.

"I don't know, Kaelie. It actually hurt _a lot_. I'm not that eager to do it again," Clary says, breaking me out of my thoughts. I didn't know she was _that_ serious about doing it with Seb. She did mention it a couple of times, but she didn't seem really serious about it, so I didn't really bounce on the topic.

"It's only up to you. And like you said, Seb never rushed you into anything, so I don't see why he would start now." Kaelie reasons, and I can actually visualise Clary shyly nod as she responds:

"True. But he's a guy."

"He's in love," Kaelie snaps back, making Clary roll her eyes (I know she just did, even if I can't see her).

"You're delusional Kaelie. He never said anything remotely close to that."

"He doesn't have to, it's written all over his face. Everyone can tell. Everyone but you," Kaelie says as if she's talking to a child, and I have to give Kaelie that. Everyone can see how deep into Clary Seb is, but she doesn't seem to pick up. She can be quite oblivious sometimes. I mean, Seb has this "I love you to the moon and back" look every time that Clary is near him. It just makes me want to roll my eyes at so much cuteness.

There is a little moment of silent, during which Clary obviously ponders about this revelation, when Kaelie says: "Anyway. I have to go, my cousins just arrived and my mom is going to make a scene if I don't pretend to socialise. If you want my advise, talk to Seb. Tell him that it wasn't that great for you, and that you'd rather wait a little for a next time. I'm sure it will all go just fine."

I wait a little to be sure that Kaelie hung up, and then enter in Clary's bedroom, as if nothing. She's painting her toenails, which explains why Kaelie was on speaker. I slump in the bed next to her under her scowling eyes since I almost splashed nail polish all over her bedsheets. For a few minutes, we don't say anything. She's busy finishing being a girl, and I'm just waiting for her to talk, my hands behind my head.

"Anything you'd like to share?" I say, when she finally puts aside her nail material, and she shrugs, at first. But then, she narrows her eyes at me, and pushes me a little (not enough to make me fall, she's too ridiculously petite for that).

"Argh, you're so annoying sometimes. I thought Valentine raised you well. That means no peaking on people's conversations," She accuses, and I roll my eyes. We both know that I'm not the first one peaking on the other, and that this won't be the last time between us.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Why am I the last one to know? You were the first one I told when I did it with Kaelie!" I tell her, because to be honest, I'm a little hurt that she's seeking advise from my _girlfriend_ instead of me, _her best friend_. I know Clary and Kaelie grew to be very good friends (especially since Kaelie managed to get Clary shopping to the mall), but still … _I'm her best friend_!

"I know. But somehow, I doubt that we shared the same first experience. I think Kaelie can understand better than you what I felt," She explains with a shrug, and I have to concede to her that it's true. I'm not a girl. But still, she should have told me first.

"Maybe, but I know what Seb must feel like. You should call him and ask him over. He's probably thinking that he ruined your whole relationship because he went too fast. Propose a movie, some broccoli, and just chill. Just so the both of you know that you're okay," I say, and Clary nods, not doing a thing to reach over her phone. So, I point that out: "What are you waiting for? Call him!"

"No, it's okay. I'll call him when you'll leave, and enjoy my time with you," She states, and I roll my eyes at her. I know Clary too well for her own good. So I pick up her phone, and scroll looking for Seb's number, to which I send, once found : **Do you want to come over? I have pizza and the last Marvel movie that we can watch together. XxX. C**

" _What are you doing_?" Clary shrieks, and I brightly smirk at her, getting up:

"Helping you. You can thank me later."

And on those words I leave, going back to my house, proud of my good action.

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 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **~ Next chapter will have the last jump in time, and it will also have a little tiny tiny minuscule cliffhanger. Really ridiculously small, but I'm just warning ahead.**

 **~ And I know some of you are going to hate me for giving Clary's first time to Seb, and not Jace; but this is how I want this story to go. Besides, I never said anything about Clary and Jace being romantic in this story. Maybe it will happen, maybe not. Only the next chapters will tell you.**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	5. 5 - Epiphany

**Hello my dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4**

 **~ This chapter has little jump in time. The last one, promise. Well, until a long time, at least. From this chapter, Clary will be 24, and Jace 26. Remember that they have a eighteen months difference. And that birthdays and time will happen, so we will just have to keep their age evolving in mind.**

 **~ So this is it, we are finally back on track. I can't believe that we are already at 52 followers 29 favourites and 36 reviews. Thank you to you all. For not abandoning me when fanfic is being a meanie, and for having faith in me for the new people on this stories. I love you all. ㈏4㈏4㈏4**

 **Anyway, enough chitchat, let's enjoy this chapter.**

 **.**

 **Chapter 5 ~ Epiphany (2,6K)**

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 **Jace's PoV.**

 **.**

I wake up with a jolt, sweaty and out of breath. This must have been the most vivid dream I have ever had. But what shocks me the most is that _Clary_ was in it. Not that Clary being in my dreams is a problem, but … It is a problem when I have this kind of dreams! As I sit up in my bed, I pass my hand over my face in the hope to wash away the dream.

It started as a completely normal dream. It was actually plain and boring. I was working out at the gym, like I do every Sunday morning. And after a few hours of push-ups, I decided to head to the pool to do some laps and exercise my whole body while relaxing at the same time. As I entered the indoor swimming pool of the gym, I found that it was empty, except for Clary doing some laps of her own. This is nothing usual. Clary doesn't like to workout, but she likes to swim. And since we usually go together Sunday early mornings, we often find the pool empty and to ourselves. This is how plain my dream was: me going to the gym like every other Sunday.

So I got in the water, and started swimming; until I accidentally knocked into Clary. Once again, it wasn't something out of the ordinary. Though Clary has a very good and steady swim, I never managed to swim straight. She laughed as our bodies ungracefully connected, making fun of me like she always did; and this is when the dream had an unexpected turn of event.

Instead of snapping something witty at her, I wrapped my hand around her waist and gently pressed my lips on hers. She immediately responded, locking her hands in my hair and bringing my face closer to hers as our body collided with passion. I don't know why this happened, how it happened, but we were there, heavily making out in the pool. And when my desire of being inside her started growing too strong, I woke up, confused as ever.

Clary is my best friend. I shouldn't be thinking of her that way, and even less dreaming of her that way. Of course, on occasions, we pretended to be together. Mostly when we were at bars or at a party and that someone couldn't take the hint that we weren't interested. But it never went further than that. We even never had problems with any girlfriend or boyfriend we had, because they understood that we were just _friends_. Nothing more.

But to be honest, I have been thinking a lot about Clary, lately. But not in the way I usually do. Over the past couple of months, I found myself staring at her mouth with the urge to kiss her lips. Or I had the desire to take her in my arms, when I had no apparent reason. Or the wish that she'd be sleeping next to me at night. Often. Every night, to be precise.

And this scares the shit out of me. Clary and I are best friend. I would ruin this for nothing in the world. She's my little broccoli, and I'm her idiot in shining armour. It's always been like that, and shall always be like that. I certainly don't want my libido coming in the way, and ruin this beautiful friendship that we have. But in the mean time … Clary and I would make a perfect couple. We know each other like the back of our palms, we care for the other like no one would never do, we … we're compatible. Or maybe it's just me wishfully thinking.

As I keep trying to wash away the dream and the confusion within me, I hear noises from outside the door of my bedroom, so I switch on the lamp on my nightstand. With gentleness and as less noise as possible, Clary slightly opens the door of my room; and when she sees that I'm awake, she walks in and sits in front of me, a big fat smile on her face.

Clary and I moved in New York together a couple of years ago; and it's been perfection. We managed to never make it awkward between us when we'd have someone over. Mostly because we're both into steady relationships. After high school, I had a couple of girlfriends in college, but they didn't really last. I also had a girlfriend when we moved in, but we broke up four months ago. She wasn't involved enough to my taste. Clary and Seb broke up throughout college, and afterwards, she dated a nerd from her history class, and a tattoo artist that she met in a bar. I have to say, he was my favourite. But they broke up six months ago because they didn't see themselves grow as a couple.

This is something I have to give to Clary, she managed to stay friends with all her exes. Seb being the one with whom she stayed the most in contact with. I, on the other hand, didn't manage to do that. I stayed in good terms with Kaelie, but that's it. I think it's mostly because she was my high school sweetheart and that it only seems fitting for us to remain friends.

So now, Clary and I are living together in a two bedrooms apartment in New York. Our apartment is rather big since our rooms are one across the other (which makes it so much easier for the both of us when one of us has company). We are separated by the rest of the apartment, and since the kitchen is an open space with the living room, it is quite a space between us. The only inconvenience, is that we have to share the bathroom. And Clary complains about it every now and then, since I always take longer than her to get ready.

With a little frown, I take Clary in, repressing my dream, and shifting a little to hide that something between my legs. She's wearing a black lacy top that shows a tiny bit of her generous cleavage, along with her black vest in faux-leather. Her jeans are light blue, which contrast with her black tigh-high boots. Her hair is up in a messy bun, with a few strands of hair sparse here and there. It looks like she didn't give a damn while doing this bun, but I know that she actually takes time to give this impression of neglected hairstyle. Her face isn't lost in makeup, but still, she's wearing more than she usually does. She has eyeliner surrounding her eyes and making her green emeralds pop, and a dark red lipstick that would make any guy want to kiss her plain lips. Me included.

I shake a little my head, to focus back on the present time. I knew that she was going out tonight, but I didn't know that she was going out for a _date_. Well, she mentioned that she was going to see some guy, but I didn't think so much of it. Despite the fact that Clary is still rather uncomfortable in crowded public places, she still goes out. And she has more affinities with guys than with girls. So I didn't think too much of her hanging out with a guy. I just didn't think it would be _that_ kind of going out.

"You only came home, now?" I question, squinting my eyes at her. It's two in the morning, fro Christ sake! To be honest, would have she been my date, I would have had the night of my life. She looks _gorgeous_. And I'm drifting once again on dangerous shores. I've always known Clary to be beautiful, but I never really lingered on the matter. Because it never occurred to me otherwise.

Clary happily nods, showing me all her teeth as her eyes sparkle with delight. "I found the man of my life. I'm telling you, Jace. He's the one," She beams, and I don't know … Hearing her say those words with so much conviction and happiness in her voice, actually hurts my heart.

"Who?" I ask, masking the best I can the pain that I'm feeling at the moment. Why am I so hurt? Clary always told me about her boyfriends, and it never bothered me. It never made me feel anything more than the joy of seeing my best friend happy with some guy. So why the hurt now? Over a guy that I don't even know?

" _Jonathan_. I told you I was seeing him, tonight," She reminds me, rolling her eyes to the heavens; but all I can concentrate on, is the ecstatic tone she used as she said his name. Her eyes are still sparkling with that same bliss as earlier, and she goes on: "He's ... He's _Jonathan_. He's so nice, and sophisticated, and funny, and smart. I'm telling you, I'm going to marry this guy! _Really_ , Jace. I didn't want to leave. I just wanted to stay with him and keep on talking about the Pixar theory. Or why books are a hundred times better than movies. Or why Japan is a country that we should all visit at least once in our lives."

She keeps on beaming at me, swooning over this guy I never heard of, and I am little more crushed each time that she says something about him. It's more than seeing her being over the top for this _Jonathan_. It's because each time she says something about him, it makes me realise a little bit more that I wished she would say that about me. And worst, even. This makes me jealous of a guy I don't even know, or have even met. This is terrible. But I try to keep my cool, and I remind her of something quite important:

"Didn't you just meet the guy _today_?"

"No," She answers with a roll of her eyes. "We went just on a _date_ today. He's the guy I told you about from work," She clarifies, and I finally remember her talking about him.

He's a guy from the same company that she's working for, except that he's coming from a branch in LA. He's only here for a little while (how long, no one knows) to boost up the New York office. Clary works for this big advertisement company as an artistic designer, and apparently Jonathan is the guy who comes just after the CEO. Which is why he is based in LA, since the company started there.

"Still isn't it too soon for you to send wedding invitations?" I reason, hoping that she'll reassure me, and say that she's being so unrealistic because she had one too many drinks. Even if she seems as sober as can be.

"Of course," She asserts with a little shake of her head, a small smile on her face. "I'm just telling you what I feel in my heart. I'm so happy!"

And on those words, she lets herself fall on her back, that big fat smile still lingering on her lips. I don't reply anything, trying to repress anything that I could be feeling. The dream, the wish that she had been out with me, the hope that she wouldn't be swooning over some other guy, but me. This is too much. I'm just confused because I had this stupid dream. Not because she had a date with some guy.

"Are you okay?" She suddenly asks, her brows furrowed with concern, and I consider telling her what I'm feeling at the moment.

I look at her, the red of her hair clashing with the back of my sheets; and a lump grows in my throat. What if I tell her? What if we try it out and we fail? Are we going back to being best friends? Or even friends? I never kept any sort of relationship with my exgirlfriends. And I can't lose Clary. Especially not this way. No matter the confusing feelings and thoughts I have at the moment, she is too important for me. I just can't lose her.

"Yeah. I just woke up from a bad dream. It's okay," I elude, because we never lied to one another. We eluded some part of the truth, but the other was always clever enough to understand not to push it. And Clary seemed to have understand it.

Still, she frowns a little, obviously concerned about me. I give her a small smile, and so she jokes:"What did I tell you, already? Stop dreaming of me, it will make you have nightmares."

We always had this never ending joke of her being a nightmarish creature ever since we were little. This is mostly due to the fact that the first nightmare I had when I moved in next to her, she was in it. And she was the motherfucking dragon trying to steal my Chocofrogs by firing flamed broccoli! So of course, the joke stayed. Because when you come to think of it, it is quite ridiculous.

"I'll try to remember that," I promise with a small chuckle at that sweet memory.

"I'll bring you some camomile infusion," She says with a patronising tone, all the while kissing my cheek; and I'm left watching her make her way out of my bedroom while my heart is clenching at this harsh reality coming to me.

I don't just have a sexual attraction for my best friend. I have romantic feelings of love for her. And she clearly swoons over some other guy.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **So? What did you think? Now, we're talking. You have your Jace having feelings for Clary, and I have my tiny cliffie. Like I said, it is a very tiny one, but be prepared for more. Because more will come (mouhahahahahaha㈴0㈴0㈴0).**

 **~ And we have a new character in this story! Jon! Yay! I'm so excited about him. So far, we don't know much about him. Except that he gave Clary a Hell of a first date. She's completly swooning for the guy. I think she's cute. Still, what do you think of this tiny bit of Jon that we saw?**

 **~ And for those interested, I** **started a Pinterest board on this story as well.**

 **~ And by the way, are you guys into Pixar movies? Do you know of the Pixar theory? If yes, what do you think of it?**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	6. 6 - Jonathan

**Hello my dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4**

 **~ So, for those who didn't know, the Pixar theory is a theory saying that every Pixar movie that was ever made actually fits in the same universe as well as in the same story line. It is all an evolution throughout time and space. It is a very interesting theory, and if you're interested, go search on YouTube about it. You'll love it. I'm personally a big believer of the Pixar theory! Haha, because I'm such a kid!**

 **~ Also, many asked if this was a Clace story, and I can't tell you that, now. If I do, it will ruin the suspense of this story. So I hope you will be patient with me, and not hate me.㈏4㈏4㈏4**

 **Anyway, let's enjoy this long chapter.**

 **.**

 **Chapter 6 ~ Jonathan (4,5K)**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV.**

 **.**

I come home from work, exhausted as ever, like every Friday. You would think that working in a bank office as a computer scientist would be quite relaxing, but it isn't. _At all_. I am literally dead to the world. Physically and mentally. I only long for one thing, relax in a hot bath, and then, sleep until tomorrow morning.

Like every Friday, I pulled out a few more work hours, just to be sure that I would start with a reasonable amount of work on Monday. I honestly can't wait to be sent on another mission somewhere else. Preferably not a bank. In addition of being boring, this job is exhausting because of the level of stupidity of the people I work with. You would think that people that are in charge of everyone's money would know their way around a computer. … Well, clearly, they don't. It really gets frustrating at times!

As soon as I enter the apartment, I throw my satchel on the couch, falling limp next to it. Tonight, I definitely won't last long, that's for sure. I'll just take a bath and hop on to bed after ordering a pizza. Unless Clary cooked something. She always finishes earlier than me on Friday, and usually, she's in a middle of cooking when I get home. But tonight, she isn't.

I don't really worry about it, because it often happens that she swings first by the grocery store, and she always stays forever there. The girl has a passion for staying forever in the cleaning section. And after, she mocks me for being a little OCD! The girl can spend hours sniffing different products to be sure of which ones she likes better to wash the dishes.

With dead eyes, I switch on the TV, mostly to have some useless background noise as I purge myself from my week of work. I put on the music channels, hesitating between rock and hip-hop, and finally I settle for hip-hop. Once I chose the channel with a rapper that I like, I close my eyes and let the music wash my stress away. With a small smile, reflecting my growing relaxation, I lean my head backward to rest it against the couch, all the while removing my shoes so I can put my feet on the small table between the TV and the couch. If Clary sees me doing this, she's going to throw a tantrum, she hates it when I do it. But she's not here, so I'm acting like a kid when his parents are away, and he thinks he can do all the forbidden things.

As BJ The Chicago Kid sings the chorus of _Church_ , I let my thoughts drift to Clary and to what happened last night. I actually do my best to not think about me and the weird things growing within me, and focus on Clary herself. This is the first time that she's so thrilled by a date. She's usually more of a sceptical, and guys rarely make it further than the first date with her. It's really hard for them to pass through to her because she isn't so much of a girl in the dating department.

Don't get me wrong, Clary can be plenty of girly. She took me to enough shopping sessions for me to attest of that; but the first impression that she gives isn't one of a girl. Not even a tomboy. She just appears like a dude, and guys are scared of that. I suppose they assume that she's a lesbian.

So in addition of having had a wonderful first date, the guy probably didn't ran away from her and her weird ways. He even probably gave her the date of her life. After all, she came home past two in the morning when it was a work night. This isn't like Clary. I really doubt that they had sex, because Clary is very romantic concerning this part of a relationship. She likes the idea of being courted, she likes the feeling of being seduced and of feeling desired. And she likes the idea of knowing that she matters to the guy. 'Just sex' isn't part of her vocabulary.

So it means that Clary gladly passed most of her evening and night with that dude, not caring the least in the world that she had to work in the morning. And … I don't know. It makes me feel … _weird_. I don't like the idea of her being so comfortable over a guy she just met. Especially so _romantically_ comfortable. After all, she called him 'the man of her life'. It always took her time to be really comfortable with guys in her previous relationships. Expect with Seb, but she knew Seb since we were little, so it doesn't count.

Suddenly, Clary gets out of her room, with only a towel wrapped around her body and tearing me out of my thought. She has her red hair falling wildly around her face, while her eyes are popping thanks to dark smokey eyes. I've already seen Clary with just a towel to cover her. We're leaving together, after all. This is no news to me. We even go swimming together every Sunday. I know what her body looks like. So I shouldn't be staring. And still, here I am. Staring like a premature teenager.

I take her in. All of her. Her pale white skin, slightly rosy which indicates that she probably just scrubbed herself very harshly; and slightly glossy revealing that she just put body oil all over her body. Despite her shortness, Clary's legs aren't small; and they seem so smooth at this instant that I have to clench my fists to dismiss the twitch in my hands. I'd love to run my hands on her slender legs, all the way up to the hem of her towel, and then … I breath in, wishing this image away, and I keep on analysing her.

It's obvious that she took a shower when she got home. She was probably out of it when I came home, and in her room, taking care of her hair. I've rarely seen Clary's hair down. And when I say rarely, I mean that she wears her hair down when she gets out of the shower, that's it. Even to go to sleep, she braids them. Well, occasionally, she sleeps with her hair wild, but that's because she didn't have time to think of braiding it, if you get my drift. And still, today, her hair looks flawless. Her curls are all well proportioned around her face, and … I don't like it. To be honest, this was something that I liked. Being the only one to know her with her hair down. It's like broccoli. She only shares this joke with me. And now, I feel like she's sharing something that should be only _ours_ with this _Jonathan_. But of course, I don't say anything.

I only frown, and drift my eyes to her face. Her makeup is … how do girls say it? _On point_? Her green eyes call all the attention of her face, her lashes longer than usual, and her brows well defined. And still, I notice that she's not wearing lipstick unlike yesterday night. And I know what that means. Girls usually don't wear lipstick when they intend on kissing a guy. Not so much for us, but because they don't want to destroy their masterpiece that is their makeup. Which means that they didn't kiss yesterday night. After all, her lipstick wasn't smeared when she came back, it was perfect. And this also means that Clary considered kissing that _Jonathan_ guy, but that he probably acted like a gentleman.

"Another date? So soon?" I finally say, pointing with my chin to her hair and makeup, but mostly to divert myself from staring at her like that. She doesn't seem to have noticed, and I just look at the screen of the TV, Eminem having replaced the previous artist.

"Yup. He's supposed to be here in an hour," Clary beams at me. But even though she just said that, she comes to sit next to me. I inwardly smile. I'm still her number one, no matter whom she's crushing on. She just interrupted her preparation to spend time with me. I glance at her, and really smile when I see that she brought the candy jar with her. She's mindlessly chewing on red liquorice as she's watching Eminem sing about how he is a Space Bound.

"So I'll get to meet the guy," I assert, plunging my hand into the jar and getting out of it the same kind of sweet clary has in her hand. I don't even know why we bother buying anything else. We're both crazy about red liquorice.

"Yup," She grins, her nose suddenly all snubbed in the cutest fashion. "You'll see. He's just … I don't want to say 'perfect' because no one is, but you'll get it when you'll see him," She goes on, and I roll my eyes at her. Really, it's like hearing her talk about her first crush ever. And she's never been like that about Seb.

"I'm not a girl, Clary. I don't _swoon_ over guys," I remind her, and she playfully nudges my sides with her elbow before getting up and stretching up.

I watch her, with the secret desire that her towel would fall. But of course, it doesn't. Clary is a girl, and she knows how to secure her towel so it won't fall. Girls and their secret tactics.

I don't say anything as she walks away from me, and report my attention on the TV. Drake is now on the screen, and I heave, taking the remote and changing the channel to anything else but this. I really can't stand Drake. I don't like his voice, his lyrics, his face. I close back my eyes, thinking of Clary and the fact that she has another date already. This is definitely not in her book. She likes to take her time after the first date to think about it in quietude.

"Anyway, what was your nightmare all about? You seemed quite shaken up, last night," She asks, tearing me once again out of my thoughts. I snap my eyes open, and see her walking back to the couch with a beer in her hands. This girl is simply out of Heaven. I take the beer, not even surprised that it's not full. She probably had a sip or two before handing it to me.

"Water. Strange things in water," I elude, my eyes lock on her slim legs. I can feel Clary's gaze on me, but I my eyes are still set on her silky legs. With a little chance, she'll just think that I am lost into space.

"You have the weirdest dreams," She points out, and I chuckle.

"I do, don't I?"

Clary leans backward, and finally I am out of my trance. I look at her face, but she just closed her eyes, her hand blindly asking for the bottle that I give to her. We stay silent for a little while as she drinks from the bottle and hands it back to me, and after thinking about it, I ask: "Did you tell him about me?"

I mean, if she didn't, maybe I can sneak out of this one, and pretend I'm in the bathroom. I just need to go now, and stay forever there. Clary's never been one of those girls who take ages to get ready. She'll probably be ready before he arrives. With a little chance, he won't even come upstairs.

"Of course, you're my best friend," Clary responds, snapping her eyes open with shock and confusion. She looks at me, concerned; and then, she adds: "Quite frankly, your name came quite often in the conversation."

"That's not something that guys like. Having the girl of their liking talking some other dude," I let her know, even though I know I'm more talking about myself, than about her beau. If I could not hear her swoon if that Jonathan again, that would be good. But I can't tell her that without creating suspicion, or even worst, a conflict between us.

"Jon didn't mind. He's actually looking forward to meet you," She dismisses, and I keep myself from rolling my eyes. I highly doubt that a guy is looking forward to meet another guy who's living with the girl he's dating, and about whom she spoke all night long.

The doorbell suddenly rings, and I frown at that. She said that he would be here in an hour, and that was half an hour ago. We still have thirty minutes of us.

Clary smiles at me, and gets up to go see who's at the door. Though she probably knows, since she informs me: "That's just the pizza I ordered for you. I know how Fridays are your least favourite days."

Before I can stop her and remind her that she's in no clothing to answer the door, she opens it and she yelps. In no time, I stride to the door, only to see that it's not the pizza boy who's at the door. It's _Jonathan_. Well, I think it is. Or pizza boys evolved to attractive men wearing nice clothes and not holding any pizza box.

The guy isn't anything like I pictured. Not that Clary had a type, but I didn't take her as a serious/nice-clothing/businessman kind of girl. She's too fun and carefree for that. Jonathan is tall. Probably even taller than me (which is saying a lot since Clary is ridiculously minuscule). He has nicely cut fair hair, so blond that I'm sure it would look white under the sunlight. His features are actually very sharp, almost statue-like, and this is only emphasised by his pitch black eyes. I'm sure Clary dreams of drawing him, she likes having nice models.

For a second, their eyes lock, and they both smile to one another, though Jonathan's smile is less genuine than Clary's. I honestly can't blame him. The girl is only wearing a towel, her wild and curly hair tamed and framing her face. I too would smile at her with a hint of lust playing in my eyes. But I can't, and it annoys me that he gets to do it, and be rewarded for it.

"You're early," Clary accuses, though her tone isn't that annoyed. Jonathan gives her an apologetic smile, and brings his hand up to tug her hair behind her ear. _Geez_! Was I that obvious when I was with girls? What need did he have to put her hair back? None. It was just so he could touch her cheek in a non-creepy way!

"Let's just say I was in a hurry to see you again," He says in a low murmur, and I feel like this was just something that she was supposed to hear, not me. His eyes lock once again with hers, and even if I can't see Clary's face, I know she just blushed. She leans a little, resting her face in his hand, and Jonathan's eyes quickly fly to her body before going back to her eyes as he claims: "And I'm not complaining with the view I got. I should always be early."

Clary giggles. _Literally giggles_. I haven't heard giggle since we were kid. I glance at her as she tells him to come in and directs him to the kitchen space. I inwardly growl, having no choice but to pretend to be at least a bit I interested in meeting the guy. Here goes my plans for taking an early bath I ordered avoid all of that. It's not that I don't want to meet him persay, it's just that meeting him makes it official and real for Clary, as well as for me. We both know that presenting the other to a love interest is us making the relationship something really serious.

"This is Jace, my best friend. And Jace, this is Jonathan," Clary presents us, waving her hand back and forth. And I can't help but notice that she's by Jonathan's side. They're actually very close. Very _very_ close, considering that she's only wearing a towel. She isn't supposed to be that comfortable around him when she's only wearing a towel.

Clary gives me the look saying 'Isn't he just perfect?', and I roll my eyes at her. Clary chuckles at that, and I extend my hand to shake Jonathan's. There's no animosity coming from him, but then again, none of Clary's boyfriends ever felt threatened by me. To them, I am just Jace, the best friend who could practical be a brother to her. Though Clary never used that word to refer to me, just like I never used the word sister. It just felt weird.

"Well, as you can see, I'm not ready yet. Just give me ten minutes," Clary says before waving at us and rushing to her room. Still, just before closing her door, she pointedly looks at me. I know she just told me to behave. Meaning mostly not to give dirt on her, like I did with her ex. I didn't do it to be a jerk, but it was so tempting to mess with her head.

With reluctance, I turn to face Jonathan, all the while leaning against the counter, my beer still in my hands. Shamelessly, I scrutinise him, paying extra attention to his eyes as well as his posture, and after a while, I have to admit that I am frustrated. I can't actually read him. I have this natural gift for being able to read people, to see through them just by looking at their eyes, but I can't with him. I can't tell what he's thinking.

"This is quite stressful," He suddenly says, breaking the silence that I imposed him; and I raise a questioning eyebrow at his statement. So he elaborates: "To be facing the best friend, you know. If you don't like me, all my hopes with Clary are ruined."

"Indeed," I grin at him, not even dying to hide it. After all, I am just doing my best friend job, and it's my duty toward Clary to make sure that he's not an asshole.

"Clary said that you weren't planning on staying long," I say, recalling how Clary said that he was just here to put her company back on tracks. So he won't be so much of a trouble, anyway. I'll just have to suffer through him for a couple of months, at most.

"I wasn't supposed. But there are some things that require my staying longer," He trails, his eyes suddenly lost into space, and I frown at that. How long is 'longer'?

"By things, you mean Clary?" I ask, and this makes him look at me as if I just insulted him.

"Of course not. Clary is a person. And I don't need the excuse of a job to see her," He explains, and just then, as he says so vehemently those words, I decide that I don't like his voice. There's nothing with it. It's a manly voice, deep enough to be taken seriously as a man, and yet calm enough to be taken seriously as a boss. I just don't like his voice.

"I can still sense some tension," He uselessly attests, and I don't say anything to reassure him otherwise. Jonathan looks deeply in my eyes, before clearing his throat and saying:

"So, just to help you feel better about seeing your best friend going off with some stranger. I am 29 and Swiss born. I've lived in Europe for the first ten years of my life, before my parents decided to move in Los Angeles. I was top of my class throughout high school and college; and Hodge plucked me before I even had the chance to finish my degree so I could work in his company. And now, I am his best man."

For a second, I don't say anything, mostly annoyed that he has such a perfect past. It would have been easier to dislike him (and therefore make Clary dislike him) if he wasn't so … _perfect_.

"I'm not her father. Just her best friend," I remind him, shoving his perfect oral resume to his face.

"And I am not a womaniser. Even if you have no way of verifying that," He adds with a little smirk.

 _Really_?! Not a single flaw. Officially. After all, like he just said, I only have his word for it. But I don't have the time to think of anything to retort to that since Clary opens the door of her bedroom and interrupts our 'conversation'.

There's a lump growing in my throat as she walks in the kitchen space. She's wearing a red vintage dress, hugging her curves all in the right places. The dress actually shows a little more décolleté than Clary usually does, but I don't linger on that. I linger on how the dress is perfect for her. It goes perfectly with the colour of her hair, that she thankfully brought up in her high ponytail. Her hair is still more visible that what she usually does, but still, I'm the only one who gets to normally see her with her hair loose.

Jonathan closes the little gap that was between them, and caresses her cheek, apparently completely mesmerised by her. _Urgh_ , now I have to suffer through _that_ as well! Especially since he says with that same low murmur he used at the door:"Though I deeply appreciated the towel, the dress has quite an effect as well. You look stunning."

Clary beams at his words, and I swear, it looks like they're about to kiss. So I clear my throat, to remind them that they're not alone and that I'm very much here. Clary rolls her eyes at me, but still rolls her eyes to the Heavens.

"So? Did you guys have a dick contest, or something while I was gone?" She asks, taking her purse off the hanger and looking through it in the search of something. I heave, and throw her the keys I know she's looking for, which she catches winking at me with glee at the exact same moment Jonathan says:

"I think Jace probably won this one. You know what they say about feet?"

 _When did he have time to check my feet out_? Is he a fetish?! I didn't check his feet! What's wrong with him? Clary laughs at that, and points her heeled tiny feet as she teases: "Myths! I have tiny feet and my dick is anything but tiny."

I can't help the burst of laughters that comes through my mouth. This is one of the reasons why Clary is my best friend. Because she can say stuff like that with the most innocent face. I look at Jonathan, curious about his reaction, but unlike what I was expecting, he doesn't startled. He actually smirks at Clary and retorts with a luxurious voice: "Then maybe, _we_ should have a dick contest."

Clary chuckles, biting her lower lip, before shaking her head and walking to the front door. Their interlocked hands don't go unnoticed, but I don't say anything about that. "Don't wait up for me. I'll probably come home late," she tells me, and they're already both outside when she stops dead in her tracks in the doorframe.

She tells Jonathan to call the elevator, and then looks back at me, concern clouding her face. For a moment we stare at one another, and I feel that her eyes can see through my very soul, making fell darn right naked in front of her.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay, Jace?"

"I'm just a little down because it's Friday. As usual."

She shakes her head, clearly not believing me: "Is there something you want to talk about. I can postpone my date for you. You know that, right?"

"Nah. Go. I'm probably just tired," I assure her, but we both know that she still doesn't believe me. I'm about to send her back to Jonathan, even if I don't want to, when she heaves in defeat. She knows me too well and we just settled this argument just by looking at one another. Still, she asks:

"You'll tell me about it, tomorrow?"

I feel my throat getting tight again, but the way she's looking at me makes it hard for me to refuse. So I nod, and promise: "Yeah, I'll tell you tomorrow."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **So? See, I can be nice. Once again, it's only a small cliffie㈴0㈴0㈴0**

 **~ Jon is here. Hurray! I literally can't wait for your reactions about his first apparition. Yay Jon!**

 **~ And for those interested, I** **put pictures of Clary and Jon on Pinterest.**

 **~ And by the way, what do you think of this foot myth? Real or not?**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	7. 7 - Morning Pancakes

****Hello my dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4****

 **~ I have been thinking lately, and I feel that it is not fair for the guests who don't have any notification to know when a story had been updated. So, this is me telling you that the update of my stories will be done between Friday night and Sunday night (UK time). Sometimes there will be several updates of the same story, if I'm not too busy, and if my Beta isn't too busy as well. Don't forget that two persons are beyond each stories, now. The writer, and the editor. ㈴1**

 **~ So, about this myth on foot and sizes. I** **personally think that it is just that, a myth. Of course a larger man as a bigger chance to have larger everything, but that's just logic. I know guys who have completely destroyed that myth for me, positively, or negatively. So I think that this myth is the same kind of myth as the one saying that size depends of the ethnicity the guy is from. Yup, this was just my little opinion on the matter.**

 **~ And for the guest who tried to leave me her (his?) email address, know that fanfic automatically delete those kind of informations. So you will have to leave your email like this : blablabla . If you're a gmail, otherwise, replace wit your server. Anyway, I'll wait for your review, and answer you privately when I'll have it.**

 **Anyway, let's enjoy this chapter.**

 **.**

 **Chapter 6 ~ Morning Pancakes (2,6K)**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV.**

 **.**

I wake up with Demi Levato's voice blasting from the radio of my alarm clock. For a second, I just lay awake in my bed, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. How in the Hell did Demi Levato ended up playing in my ears? _Demi freaking Levato_! I'm about to switch to another radio station, when I actually pay a little more attention to the lyrics, and I just let the song go. I don't know, something calls out to me in this song. Or maybe it's spending too much with Clary that is starting to rub off on me.

It is true that Clary listens to all kind of music, and lately she is into rising pop stars. Demi Levato is just her latest discovery. She is very fond of singing her songs while in the shower, and I am very fond of making fun of her for that. I liked it better when she was in her metal period and that she was singing Nightwish in the shower. Mostly because I am more into that kind of music than into pop music. Especially after MJ started being an active part of it.

When Demi's voice is replaced by a commercial, I switch off the radio and blankly stare at the ceiling. There are splashes of paint all over it, reminders of that afternoon when Clary and I were bored out of our minds, but too new to New York to really do anything about it. We still had some paint left over from painting the living room and the kitchen; and before any of us knew even how it started, we ended up in a paint fight.

So now, my room is splashed with various colours, the ceiling having not been spared from our battle. At the moment, I did not really linger on that; but now that I come to really think about it, I wonder why this fight happened in my room. I mean, I know that with paint cans being stored in my room for the time being, it was only normal that we had the fight there. But what were we doing there in the first place? I was sleeping with Clary in her bedroom at the time, because my room was condemned and used as storage for the paint, so why were we in this room to begin with?

Before I can actually really think back about the hows and the whys, I smell pancakes; and I smile of delight to myself. I just love pancakes. Granted that Clary's aren't the best (she's better at cooking salty food), but still, pancakes are pancakes. I swiftly get out of my bed, my stomach already rambling at the idea of soon being filled with pancakes; and I stride to the window, determination in my footsteps.

I decided that depending on how her date went, I would tell Clary about my changing feelings for her. I won't actually just lay it all out for her, because she'll probably freak about it. _I_ am still freaking out about it! But … I want to try this with her. I want to take our relationship to the next level, and go to that place where everyone always pictured us. I want … I want … us to be a different kind of us. Is it too weird? Is it even possible? After all, we are so … we've been best friend for almost two decades. Maybe it's just too weird …. But still, … still, I want it.

With a heave, I shake my head to ease all this confusion. I just need to talk to her, and she'll help me to see clear, like she always does.

After opening wide the window of my room, and letting New York's busy noises invade my room, I go out, directing myself straight to the kitchen, because like I said, _pancakes_. But what I wasn't ready for, was to find Jonathan flipping the pancakes by the stove. _Shirtless Jonathan_ , might I add! His back is facing me, his broad shoulders playing the juncture of his bones and muscles as he keeps on creating pancakes, and I notice something that I didn't see yesterday night. The guy has a huge tattoo on his right bicep, a black and flesh representation of an avenging angel, ready to strike down with all his might.

As if he probably felt me staring at him, Jon looks behind him, and friendly smiles at me when our eyes encounter. I just nod, keeping my features unreadable. And strangely, my eyes go to his feet, recalling his little banter with Clary from last night. His feet are bare, and what I consider normal. I think we're probably the same size, but then again, I've never been at evaluating sizes and distances. This is a Clary thing.

Talking of which, the little thing that she is emerges from her bedroom, before Jonathan and I can exchange a single word. It's obvious that she just woke up, she's still rubbing her sleepy eyes for Heavens' sake. I glance at the kitchen clock, only to see that it's only nine. How did I not see that when I switched off the radio? Stupid automatic gestures.

"Do I smell pancakes?" Clary asks, her voice still heavy with sleep; and I let hope light up my heart.

When I saw almost-naked-Jonathan in the kitchen, my first thoughts were that I must have slept like a baby. I usually have a light sleep, and if they had sex yesterday night, I did not hear them. I don't need to be a genius. He's shirtless, she's hot, they're both consenting adults, what more can I say?

But now, I'm not so sure that they had sex. Clary is wearing one of my old shirt (which she literally swims in), and though it is not a pyjama, it's what she usually sleeps in. And she has her hair braided in two pigtails framing her face, when she usually have wild after-sex hair when she wakes up from a night of coitus. Not to mention that she took the time to remove her makeup last night. Yeah the Clary standing in front of me isn't the Clary after-sex.

But then again, what is Jonathan doing here? Maybe she did all her night routine after he rolled off and went to sleep.

"Yes. I figured that I should show you some of my other skills, so you would think twice before kicking me out," Jonathan says with a smirk that says more than I wanted to know.

Clary beams at him, before walking to the bathroom and letting Jonathan know: "If you keep cooking pancakes, Jace will literally forbid me from kicking you out. He once tried to trade me for a handful of pancakes."

I chuckle at the memory, recalling when I tried to bargain with her father to adopt me and to send Clary to my Dad. All I wanted in exchange was pancakes everyday at breakfast. Because Luke's pancakes are the best pancakes in the universe.

"So, you're a pancake lover?" Jonathan asks, turning off the gas as he flipped the last pancake, and I just nod. I just don't want to engage in a conversation with him.

And anyway, I'm saved from that by Clary emerging from the bathroom. She playfully winks at me before walking to Jonathan who wraps his arm around her shoulder and kisses her on the lips. _Oh God!_ This is so much more than what I wanted to see. It's not the kiss in itself, it's the intimacy behind it. It almost makes me want to pass out on the pancakes, so I won't have to witness that again.

But fate is with me for a brief second, and Jonathan's cellphone rings, making them break their embrace. Clary doesn't really linger on that, and walks to the cupboard as Jonathan checks the caller ID. His brows knot together with annoyance before he informs her: "I have to take that."

"You can go to my room for some privacy," Clary proposes with a bright smile, and he nods, swiftly kissing her lips. Then, he goes to her bedroom, the frown still on his face.

As soon as the door closes, I shift my eyes to Clary as she puts plates on the counter so we can eat. We usually eat on the counter for breakfast, because the table is all the way in the living room, and we're just lazy like that. For two good minutes, none of us say anything as she kept on dressing the counter up, happily humming.

It's when she sits in front of me and finally looks at me to ask me if i want maple syrup or dark chocolate with my pancakes that I snap.

"Seriously!? I can't believe you!" I accuse her in a whisper, pointing my finger to the door of her bedroom. This is so not Clary! Clary doesn't sleep on the first date! What happened to her? What happened to my sweet Clary?

"We didn't sleep together!" She cries out, offended. "He slept on the couch. We were dead to the world after the movies, and so I proposed him the couch when he walked me home," She explains with the same hushed whisper that I used.

"What's wrong with a cab?!" I ask, because what need did he have to stay here and ruin all my plans of talking to Clary? Clary raises her eyebrows at me, and retort with the same annoyed tone that I used:

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," I grumble because I honestly have nothing to actually reproach her. First of all, she's a grown woman, she does what she wants, it's none of my business, no matter how much I'd like to. Second, they didn't have sex, so I can't even pretend to go all high morals on her. Third, I never judged her love life. Of course, we talked about it, but I never judged her love life, no matter what.

Clary slightly narrows her eyes at me, clearly not believing me; and so, I look down, digging in the plate of pancakes. _Damn_. They are delicious! The bastard can cook. They're almost as good as Luke's. But I wouldn't say that, because they're different. They probably don't have the same recipe. But _damn_ … Those pancakes are good!

"Are you sure?" Clary insists when it's obvious that I'm doing my best to avoid her eyes (not that it requires that much effort with pancakes that good). "You know that you can tell me anything, Jace."

"Yeah, right," I can't help but snarl, and I automatically regret it. Even _I,_ heard the bitterness in my tone. I look up, hoping that she won't start making a scene, but she's only looking at me with concern echoing in her green eyes. Then, she tilts her head a little on the side, and she smiles a little as she tries to lighten up my mood:

"Come on, dude. I've seen you naked, and I've seen you cry. So, I think you can tell me anything, I'll handle." I don't reply anything, refusing to meet her gaze. Clary knows me too well to buy any crap I could try to feed her with. She knows when I lie, the same way I for her. So, I prefer to remain silent, like that she probably won't push it. But of course, it's Clary we're talking about.

"You seem so grumpy, lately. It's not fun being around you."

"I'm not grumpy. I just have a lot on my mind," I elude, omitting to say that she is the 'lot on my mind'.

"A girl?" She asks with interest, and this makes me snap my eyes back at her. This is so not happening! I refuse to have this conversation where I tell her that I have my eyes set on some girl and that she doesn't see that it's her. First Clary is too clever for that, second, I just refuse to be _that_ cliché.

"We are so not having this conversation! I _refuse_ to have this cliché pinned down in our relationship!"

"What cliché? That you're being moody over a girl? You're doing that all on your own," Clary retorts with sass, and I know that she won't let me go with this one.

"Whatever Clary." Is the only thing I find to say, and I am saved from Clary pursuing this conversation by Jonathan walking out of her room.

Jonathan looks at me, his eyes longly analysing me as Clary taps the stool next to her for him to sit there; and I can't help but feel slightly uncomfortable under his stare. When he finally looks away, I turn my attention back to the pancakes, perfectly aware that Clary will pin me down at some point during the weekend to know why I'm being so 'grumpy'.

"So? How did your ex boyfriends take the fact that you're living with a guy?" Jonathan asks with a cheerful voice, and Clary smiles at him, glancing in my direction before she answers:

"It's just Jace. If they don't like it, well screw them. Same goes for you."

"I'm not stupid enough to throw a tantrum about your best friend, Clary. I'm just curious," Jonathan reassures her, his dark eyes dancing once again in my direction. It's annoying how I can't seem to be able to figure him out. It's even frustrating. I would like to know what he's thinking, but that seems impossible.

Still, I know where his line of questions is heading to, and so I cut the grass under his feet, and say with a detached voice: "If the question is 'did we ever have sex', the answer is no."

I can see that he wasn't expecting me to be so blunt, but he was expecting even less what Clary adds: "Though we kissed. On several occasions. To blow people off, mostly. Jace is great at misleading people this way."

I can't help but smirk. I know that Clary thinks of me as 'a guy that would make a woman swoon just with his kisses'. Wait until she can feel the other ways I can make a woman swoon. I look over at her, and even though her body is directed toward Jonathan, her eyes are on me and the memory of our last 'kiss', two months ago, hits me.

 _"You're drunk, Clary," I admonish because I don't like being the only sober person at a party. But I am the designated driver, so I am stuck on Coke and orange juice._

 _Clary wraps her arms around my neck, and jumps in my arms to give me a panda hug. Which I take as my cue that it's time for us to go back home. I walk out of the apartment where was the party, Clary secured in my arms; and once we're in the elevator, Clary tilts her head up to look at me with a bright smile. But all I can do, is stare at her pink lips. I want to feel them against mines._

 _And as if she heard my thoughts, Clary's eyes flicker to my own lips. I can feel my heart beating so fast that it will probably jump out of my ribcage. And before I can even think of stopping myself, I kiss her. Not the same way that we already kissed when we wanted to thwart off people. No, this time I kiss her as if I mean it, because I do._

 _As I'm holding her even tighter against me, I pin her against the elevator wall, my lips never leaving hers, and my tongue caressing the swell of her bottom lip to ask for entrance. She opens her mouth for me, her hands tightly clutched in my hair, and just as I'm about to cup her face for a better access to her mouth, the elevator pings, indicating the ground floor._

 _Clary lets out a heavy breath, jumping out of my arms as she tells me with a little smirk: "You know, you could make women swoon with that kind of kissing."_

 _"Then, why aren't you swooning?"_

 _"Because I'm not a woman to you, Jace. I'm just your best friend."_

Jonathan snaps me out of my memory as he suggestively inquires: "You never thought of …"

Clary deeply blushes, which is unusual; but then, she vigorously shakes her head no, mumbling : "Don't be ridiculous."

I frown as I try to understand what just happened. Usually, Clary makes a silly joke when people assume that we tried to have sex at some point. She doesn't shy away from the conversation. This is definitely not usual Clary behaviour.

"Enough talking about nonsense. Let's talk about something else," Clary claims, and this makes me sure that I'm not the only one hiding something from their best-friend. Clary never shies away from this conversation, mostly because she finds it ridiculous.

Jonathan glances in my direction, his eyes analysing me once again; and I can tell that her reaction is not what he expected. The problem is I can't tell if it's in the positive aspect of it, or the negative. Nonetheless, he looks away from me and smiles at Clary, brushing her cheek with his knuckles as he says:

"How about we talk about this thing I have to be to on Tuesday night, and how I'd like you to be my date."

"Oh, Tuesday? I already have something planned with Jace," Clary informs him, her eyes swiftly flickering in my direction.

Jonathan doesn't look away from her to glance in my direction as I expected him to do. He just keeps on staring at Clary, his brows slightly furrowed; and all I do is wish that he'll ask her to cancel. _Please, be an asshole and ask her to cance_ l. But of course, he isn't.

"It's okay. As long as you can still be my date on other days," He sweetly says, making Clary blush of pleasure, and me stand up to leave all this mushiness.

"I have to go," I inform them, and Clary narrows her eyes at me with suspicion. _Oh God_ , she's unto me.

"Do you, now?"

"Yeah. I forgot my laptop at the office. I need to get it while it's still open," I lie, and Clary raises her eyebrows at me. We both know that I just lied. The question now, is to know if she's going to call my bluff right here in front of Jonathan. For a second, Clary and I both stare at each other, until she turns her head and ask Jonathan if he has plans for the day, and I use this opportunity to run to my room and then fly out of the apartment.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

I come back home around lunch time. I figured that they probably went out to a lunch date or something, and I'll have the flat to myself. But I am not so lucky. As soon as I close the door, I see Clary cooking in the kitchen space, chopping some broccoli and cauliflower into big chunks. I glance around, to see if Jonathan is gone, and I don't see any proof that he has even been here; so I go to the kitchen and wash my hands as Clary accuses:

"You don't like Jon, do you?"

"What? Where does that come from?" I retort, surprised by her assumption. It's not that it isn't true, it's just that I didn't think I was that obvious.

"I moved your laptop from the sofa last night, Jace," Clary informs me, putting her knife down and planting her green eyes into my golden ones.

I knew when I left that my laptop wasn't at the office. I just left to not be around them, because no matter how cheesy Jonathan was being with Clary with his sappy lines, I still wished I could have been that cheesy myself with her. This is just getting ridiculous!

"It's just that he's hard to read, that's it," I reassure her because this is part of the truth. It's not the whole truth, but it is part of it.

"Don't start that over-protective shit on me, Jace. We didn't have that shit in high school, it's not to have it now!" Clary warns me, throwing her vegetables in a plate and pouring over it a white cream so it will cover all the chunks of veggies.

"Things were different in high school," I protest before I can even stop myself. Clary puts the plate in the oven, and turns to me, crossing her arms over her chest as she inquires:

"How so?"

"I … It was different."

 _I wasn't in love with you back in high school_. I highly doubt that Clary would appreciate those words if I say them. And anyway, she doesn't seem to appreciate my words right now. She narrows her eyes at me, her lips forming a thin line of annoyance.

"Whatever, Jace. Don't even _think_ of going in this direction! And I mean it!" She threatens before striding to her room, and barricading herself inside.

And this is when it hits me. Clary and I already fought, but never because of a date. This is the first time we ever fought because of someone one of us is dating. And it is scary. Because it makes me realise that I can really lose her friendship because of those unwanted feelings I have for her.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **~ What do you guys think of Clary? I asked you about Jon, but I forgot to ask about Clary**

 **~ And for those interested, I made a** **Pinterest board for this story.**

 **~ And by the way, what** **'s your favourite kind of music, and your favourite band/artist?**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	8. 8 - When Friendship Crumbles

****Hello my dear little broccolis㈏4㈏4㈏4****

 **~ I am so sorry. I was in a sort of a writer's block. But I'm back.** **I hope you will forgive me, and that you will enjoy this chapter.**

 **~ So, my favorite kind of music? I** **'d say that I am very eclectic on the matter. It mostly depends of my mood. I am not a very big fan of electro music, but otherwise, I am not that picky. Though I have to say that some artists are definitely a turn off for me. Either if it's because I don't like their music, their voice or their persona (and yes, I do have a certain young singer in mind when I'm saying that, haha).**

 **~ And I also want to take the time to thank all of you who read this story. I feel very sorry for the people who are not registered on the website, because I can't reply to them personally, like I do for others, and they can't really know for sure when I update, hence the schedule. Still, thank you for taking the time to review, follow, and favorite. It might seem like nothing to you, but to me, it is a fuel to keep on updating this story.**

 **Love, ㈏4㈏4㈏4**

 **.**

 **Chapter 6 ~ When Friendship Crumbles (3,1K)**

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV.**

 **.**

"I'm going to take a shower," I say, removing Aline's hand from my chest so I can get up. She whines a little, but since she's already almost sleeping, her protestations don't go further, and she pulls the sheet over herself as I head to the bathroom.

It's been two months since I started seeing Aline, and this is the first time she ever came to the apartment. Mostly, because I did not tell Clary about her. It's not that I think Clary will get jealous of Aline (I wish- but she is still swooning over her _Jonathan_ boy), but because I don't want her to judge me.

The thing is, I know that it is nothing serious with Aline, I never intended it to be. She's just here so I can stop obsessing non-stop about Clary. And when I'm with Aline, I am 99% percent with her (because there is a part of my mind that still compares her with how I think Clary would be).

I guess one could say I am kind of an asshole to Aline. I never presented her to my friends, always refused to meet hers, and avoided all sort of outside activities that could be qualified as dates. So to make it short, we mostly only meet for sex. Nothing that she could complain about, because I always managed to leave her _very_ happy. Either that, or she's the best faker in this world, and she should play for Oscar worthy movies.

I met Aline in a bar, the very same night Clary and I argued about her _Jonathan_. I went there to get a drink and to clear my head, trying to understand what was wrong with me for feeling those feelings toward my best friend. If Clary had been a guy, would I have felt those emotions? Or am I just confused because I have been single for too long? So, when Aline sat next to me with her friend, I decided to settle this inner argument once and for all.

Her friend was pretty, but she was a ginger, and though Clary is a scarlet redhead, I don't want to get any sort of mix. So I settled for the model-like Asian, with her olive skin and almond eyes, and who gladly took me to her place that night. That was supposed to be my first and my last one-night-stand, but one thing leading to another; we stayed in touch, with Aline always trying to pull me into that relationship that I am denying her.

More than once, she called me on it, saying that she seemed to have this gift to attract assholes- I never did or said anything to correct her. And this is how I know I've changed. Because before, I _never_ would have treated a girl the way I treat Aline, and I never would have taken so carelessly the fact that she called me an asshole. _This_ is how much I have changed.

With a little sigh, I get in the shower, and I let my head hang low while the hot water falls down on me and removes any after-sex sweat from my body. I have to think of an excuse to get rid of Aline early in the morning, because I don't want her to meet Clary. I know Clary is not due until tomorrow around lunch time because it is Friday, and that she _always_ spends her Fridays with her _boyfriend_ , now. Do I sound bitter? Well, she never did that with her exes, anyway- what makes this guy any different. It's just another sign that this relationship is stronger than her old ones- and this scares me, because I want their relationship to _end_.

To be honest, Clary has been kind enough to not invite the idiot back into our apartment. He still comes every now and then to pick her up and take her to dates and stuff, but he never stayed more than five minutes in our apartment, let alone slept here. I think it's because our argument affected Clary as much as it affected me. Even today, I can't get over the fact that we argued over one of our love interests.

This had never happened before, and I think it is scary for the both of us. Making the topic of Jonathan a treadmill, and therefore, making Clary NOT talk about what she does with him, or how she feels about him. And this is why I have to do my best to get rid of those unwanted feelings I have for her- because, I am losing my best friend over them. Never before would she have kept quiet about a boy she was seeing, and never before would I have hidden from her, a girl I was seeing.

So it is with this in mind that I decide to try and make it work with Aline. After all, she's not so bad, so it could work.

After using way more water than necessary, I walk out of the bathroom, my towel hanging on my hips, and I have the shock of my life when I find Kaelie in the kitchen.

I know that Kaelie also lives in New York, like Clary and I, but we barely get to see her since she works in a nightclub, and that she uses the day to sleep off her night. She's the young associate of a certain Mr. Blackthorn who owns the Pandemonium club that is probably the most successful Club in town. Yeah, Kaelie did pretty good after high school; I think she's the one earning the more money among our little gang of back then.

"Kaelie! What are you doing here?!" I ask, walking to my old friend to embrace her in a welcoming hug that she gives me back with a chuckle:

"Damn, Jace! If I knew you still had that kind of body, I would have entered the bathroom instead of politely waiting for you to get out," She teases me, ogling at my toned body, and I smirk at her, knowing that I look good. Hey, I work out to have this body!

Kaelie is the only ex I stayed in touch with. Probably because, like I said, she is my high school sweetheart; but mostly because Kaelie stayed very good friends with Clary. I mean, they still have shopping sprees together. But it's still weird to see Kaelie at my place on a Friday night, knowing that it's one of her busiest night at the club, and that Clary is supposed to be out with _Jonathan_ , or whatever.

"I know, Kaelie. What can I say? My body is just sugar for the ladies. You better than anyone, know how good I am," I tease back, making Kaelie roll her eyes at me. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"I'm not here for you. I came for Clary. She's in her bedroom, getting beau-ti-ful," She says in a sing song tone; I frown at that, narrowing my eyes in the direction of Clary's bedroom. This is bad. Clary usually goes straight to wherever she needs to go with Jonathan after work. She doesn't come back home, and that's why I finally gave in to Aline to bring her to my place. Because Clary wasn't supposed to be home, and that I didn't want them to meet.

 _Fuck_!

And of course, as if I needed that right now, Aline comes out of my bedroom at this precise moment. She blinks at me, my shirt thrown over her body, and I praise her for having had the good move of slipping on her panties as well. But then, her eyes fall on Kaelie, and on the very short distance between her and my half naked self; and her face turns red as Clary's hair.

"So, _this_ is the reason you didn't want to bring me to your place? Because you already had a girl there!" Aline accuses me, and I refrain myself from rolling my eyes. I might have acted like an asshole with her ever since we've met, but I'm not _that_ much of an asshole.

"She's just an old friend. I told you I was sharing the flat with someone."

"Yes. And you let me to believe that it was a _guy_!" Aline shrieks, and Kaelie buts in the conversation, probably because she can feel that this is getting somewhere ugly. Though I would have liked better if she didn't say what she says:

"Yeah, but Clary is a dude. You don't have anything to doubt. And _I_ happen to be too busy right now to try getting in a relationship."

Why did she have to bring Clary into the conversation? And why does Clary _have_ to come out of her bedroom right now? Am I cursed or something? Aline looks from Clary to Kaelie, before glaring at me, and storming back into my room. I glance in the direction of the two girls with whom I shared my childhood, and I sigh in frustration before following Aline to my bedroom. And of course, I find her swiftly dressing with anger.

"I tried, Jace! I _really_ did! But then, I find _two_ girls in your apartment! What do you want me to think?!" She accuses, tears threatening to spill from her brown eyes, and I lean against the door of my room as I retort:

"I'd like you to not jump to stupid conclusions and _think_ for just a second. Do you really think that if I were two timing you, I would have brought you to the place where I have 'two girls waiting for me'?"

She stops fussing around, looking down with just her trousers and bra on, and I use the opportunity to go on: "For your information, they are just my best friend and my high school friend, getting ready for whatever they are about to do."

"Then why do you have a picture of you with the redhead in your arms on your nightstand?" She asks, pointing the frame on my nightstand where we can see me hugging Clary from behind in the garden of her father's house. The picture was taken a couple of years ago, when I wasn't feeling all those weird things about Clary and that my romantic life was _way_ simpler than it is now.

"Clary is my best friend. We've known each other since we were kids, and there's nothing more than that between us," I tell her, hoping that the bitterness I feel in my heart is not transpiring in my voice.

And apparently it is not since she smiles weakly at me, and walks to wrap her hands around my waist as she kisses my chest. I should tell her not to do it, and not to get attached because I can't give her what she wants; but I don't. Instead, I just briefly smile to her, and unwrap her arms from me to go back to the open space to understand why Kaelie is here with Clary. What if she broke up with that Jonathan dude? Okay this is a long shot, but a guy can hope, right?

As soon as I get out of my room, I see the two girls talking, Clary frowning while Kaelie shakes her blond head as if to reassure her. But all I can do is concentrate on Clary and take in what she is wearing. She has a white strapless top with black jeans, along with some accessories that echo with her high heels. There's nothing unusual about any of it, except that it seems a little too much for what Clary usually wears on dates. I don't know, it doesn't feel like normal Clary behavior when going on a casual date.

Aline opens the door of my room, snapping the girls attention up to her, and Clary frankly smiles to Aline, before glancing in my direction. And though it was brief and discreet, I still saw the little glare that she threw my way. _What was that all about_?

"Nice to meet you. I'm Clary," Clary says to Aline, and I inwardly curse at any sort of karma that exists that put me in that situation as I understand what this was all about: She's mad because she had to find out about Aline out of the blue and not how it usually is done- by me telling her about the girl I was seeing.

Aline gently smiles at Clary, introducing herself to Clary and we exchange a very meaningful look before Clary says: "Well, I'm so glad to meet Jace's new girlfriend. How long have you been —"

"It's not what you think," I cut her off, immediately regretting the words.

Aline snaps her head at me, glaring at me with fury as I close my eyes to repress a sigh. And then, she walks to the front door to retrieve her shoes and coat before storming out of the apartment. I wince as the door slams, but I don't take my eyes off of Clary. I know she's about to ask what this was about, and I know that I shouldn't have said in front of Aline that I don't consider her my girlfriend, but I don't want to think about any of that.

So instead, I ask Clary: "Where are you going?"

"I don't know, Jace. Why don't you ask this girlfriend I never heard about?" She snaps with a justified bitterness, and someone knocks at the door before I can find any reasonable answer to her accusations.

Clary glares at me before going to the door, and so I turn my head to Kaelie and ask her: "You still didn't tell me what you're doing here."

"I thought that you knew. Clary and Jon are coming to Pandemonium, and I'm here to let them in," She tells me, and it feels like the world just imploded.

I glance back at the front door where I see Jonathan with his arms around _my_ Clary while the reality of Kaelie's words echo in my mind. _Clary is going clubbing_. Clary never _ever_ went clubbing because of the way she feels in areas too crowded. _I_ am the first one who took her to the movies. _I_ am the first one who took her to a bar. _I_ am the first one who took her out just for the fun of it. I already tried to convince her into going clubbing, but she never agreed on it! And now, she is going with that guy she's been dating for barely a couple of months!

I wait for her to meet my gaze, not really sure of what I'm expecting to see, and then, I turn on my heels as soon as she looks at me, and go to my room. This is something I never thought I'd feel about Clary. It is worst than anything I ever felt before. It is worst than being in love with your best friend. It is freaking _betrayal_!

There's a small knock, before Clary enters, but I refuse to open my eyes to look at her.

"Jace?"

I still keep my eyes closed. "It's not that big of a deal," she says.

" _Not that big of a deal?! You're going clubbing!_ " I snap, feeling so fucking betrayed by her move, and she simply shrugs at this before she tells me:

"It's okay, I'll be with Jon."

" _I_ am your safeguard, Clary. Not him! _I_ am the guy you always relied on when it came to your deepest fears. What do you want from him? Who says he'll be able to calm you down if you have a panic attack? He doesn't know you like I do! _I_ am the guy who's always been there for you! Not him!" I shout at her though I do my best to keep it down so they won't hear it outside.

Clary blinks at me, her brows furrowed with confusion. Then she shrugs again with a small smile before leaning and kissing my cheek. Then she breaks my heart, once again, saying:

"Don't worry, Jace. I know that Jon will take care of me just fine. He cares for me deeply, just like I do for him."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **㈏4Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed㈏4**

 **.**

 **~ What do you guys think of Aline and the way Jace treats her? And what about Jace's feelings about this last piece of news.**

 **~ And for those interested, NEXT CHAPTER WILL NOT BE IN JACE'S POINT OF VIEW...**

 **~ And by the way, who watches Shadowhunters, and what do you think of this ending?**

 **Cassandra Clare owns the name of the characters from the Mortal Instruments series. Everything else is mine.**

 **Kiss㈍9 Kiss㈍9, Bang㈝9 Bang㈝9**


	9. About the updates

**My dear little broccolis**

 **~ I know that you are all waiting for an update on this story, but I will put it on hold for a little while. As soon as I will finish one of the other sorties I am working on, I will start updating the stories I put on hold. So for the moment, I am working on:**

 **\- In The Welfare Of War (part 1 out of 3)**

 **\- Road Trippin, or How A New Life Begins And Flow (part 1 out of 2)**

 **\- Behind The Curtains**

 **\- The Consequences Of A One-Nightstand**

 **\- Mistakes**

 **\- Not Another Teen Story**

 **~ I am also working on a new story, so if anyone is interested on co-writing with me, let me know. My PM is open, just like my social media, and my gmail address (minalislyy)**

 **~ Love, Mina**


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